This invention relates generally to training of animals. More particularly the present invention is a form of wireless electronic leash and training aid for animals.
Animal training, particularly for household pets such as dogs, requires a great deal of patience. Further the training of dogs in particular has been the subject of many books for both owners as well as professional trainers regarding how to best train an animal to obey the wishes of its owner.
In the field of training, various devices have been invented which are designed to keep animals within a confined area. For example the now ubiquitous “electronic fence” is seen everywhere as a means of keeping animals within a specific area. The electronic fence comprises a wire surrounding an area in which an animal is to be confined. An electronic current placed on the wire giving it a magnetic field and/or the wire is used as an RF transmitter. A collar is then attached to the animal which is capable of sensing the electronic field. When the strength of the electronic field is at a certain level, an audible warning is given to the animal. As the animal gets closer to the buried wire, an electronic shock is administered to the animal thereby providing a physical incentive for the animal to stay away from the buried electrical wire. Over a training period of time, the animal become becomes familiar with the meaning of the audible sound and the general location of the buried wire. In this fashion the animal is trained to stay within a confined area by virtue of the audible signal and the electronic shock in the event that the animal gets too close to the buried wire.
However, animal owners cannot carry a buried wire wherever they go. As a result teaching an animal to “heel” must be accomplished by means of leashes and other physical means.
Animal control devices of various types have been the subject of much invention. For example, it has been proposed to have an animal worn radio signal receiver having appropriate electronics to receive a signal from an antenna and to administer both audible stimulation and electrical stimulation. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,330 issued to Touchton et al.
It has also been proposed to provide a collar worn device having an antenna receiver controller and high voltage generator to administer a shock to an animal. This device relies upon the fact that electrical field strength with a receiving antenna decreases with distance from a transmitter. This invention relies upon a stationary transmitter to provide the appropriate signal. A shock is administered to the animal that strays beyond a distance from the transmitter. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,120 issued to Brose.
Another proposal relies upon field strength changes to administer a shock to an animal based upon an animal worn device. Transmitters are stationary in defined locations where the animal is permitted and not permitted to go. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,690 issued to Calabrease et al.
Another proposal takes the form of electronic fence and control device. The control device is worn by the animal and is combined with a radio frequency transmitter for generating radio signals. When the animal strays too close to a wire having a certain field strength a shock is delivered to the animal via an animal worn device. A provision is made for both audible stimulation and electrical stimulation when an animal strays too close to the limits of a defined area. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,441 issued to Weinstein.
Another proposal comprises an animal worn device with an electrode for providing a shock to the animal. This system comprises a perimeter wire placed at the boundary of a defined space that sends a signal through the perimeter wire to generate a coded field. When the animal strays too close to the buried wire the collar delivers a electrical shock stimulus to the animal. This system is generally stationary with the receiver carried by the animal. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,744 issued to Custer.
Yet another electronic containment system has been proposed wherein the animal or person wears a transceiver that also delivers an audible signal, a deterring shock or both when the person or animal leaves a predefined area. A stationary home base station detects and reads data transmitted from the transceiver. Again, one of the embodiments of this invention comprises a buried wire for defining a perimeter. Again a stationary system for transmission with, in this instance a transceiver, being worn by the individual or animal to be controlled. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,489 issued to Yarnall et al.
Another proposal has an animal worn unit that comprises a GPS receiver, transmitter, and a programming unit that allows a person to program the location for a particular boundary in geographic terms. When a GPS signal is received that indicates the animal is near a predefined boundary, an electrical stimulation is administered. Thus the animal worn device in this instance comprises the stimulation means but also comprises a GPS receiver combined with an audible signal and electrical shock generation means. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,100 issued to Marsh.
Another proposed system comprises an animal worn device capable of receiving an electronic signal and applying an adverse electrical stimulus and audible signal to control an animal. This invention discloses a portable transmitter that has certain buttons for administering sound, shock, and combination of both upon a specific actuation by the animal trainer. Various stimuli administered to an animal are administered only in response to push buttons that are depressed. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,682 issued to Gonda et al.
Another proposed portable transmitter cooperates with an animal worn receiver that applies stimulation to the skin of the animal. In this instance the portable unit allows a trainer to select a stimulus to be applied to the animal when the trainer desires. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,482 issued to Gonda.
Yet another proposal comprises a hand held transmitter that controls a receiver unit, which is attached to a collar worn by an animal to be trained. In this case voice commands are communicated to an animal via a speaker that is associated with the receiving unit worn by the animal. In the event that the animal disobeys a particular command, negative reinforcement is provided in the form of a mild electrical shock. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,116 issued to Kim et al.
Another proposes system comprises an animal worn device for delivering audible or electrical stimulation to an animal if it fails to conform to expected behavior. A portable transmitter sends the signal that is desired by the animal trainer. Again in this instance the animal trainer takes positive action to transmit a RF control signal to the collar mounted receiver simulator unit. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,428 issued to Farkus.
Another proposal uses yet another form of a GPS receiver type device. The animal worn GPS receiver comprises both the GPS system and an adverse stimuli-administering circuitry to shock the animal wearing the device. Thus not only can animal control be administered but the animal can be tracked as well. Adverse stimuli are applied using a hand held remote control unit to adversely stimulate the animal wearing the collar. The hand held unit determines the GPS position of the animal and administers a stimulus as desired by the trainer. Thus, the position of the trainer and the position of the animal are calculated and the trainer administers the shock as desired. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,433 issued to Files.
A buried electric fence system is designed for confining the movement of an animal to a defined area. A radio signal is transmitted through an antenna that defines the area. This system is a form of buried wire system that defines a perimeter by virtue of the buried wire. A signal is sent through the buried wire such that when an animal approaches the wire, a collar worn receiver administers a mild electrical shock to the animal. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,687 issued to Custer.
Yet another proposal provides an animal worn device that receives a signal from a transmitter. The animal worn receiver has a means to administer a stimulus to the animal. Both audible and electrical shock stimulus are administered to the animal when there is an electrical indication of a signal loss as when the animal wanders away from a predefined area. A fixed antenna transmits an RF signal to the collar worn device. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,129 issued to Boardman.
Another animal worn control device has a receiver that receives a radio signal and a transducer for applying a stimulus to the animal in response to the signal. This invention addresses the programming apparatus associated with a programmable animal control device. This control device allows operating frequency of the receiver to be controlled the type and intensity of shock and audio stimulus as well as related perimeters. For additional details, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,469 issued to Touchton et al.
Thus it can be seen that much of the background art discloses animal collars and their circuitry, means for applying electrical shocks and audible stimuli to the animal worn device, a wide variety of “buried wire” systems together with associated stationary transmitters. All of which circuitry is disclosed in the references cited. Further several instances of portable transmitters are also illustrated for control of GPS, and for allowing animal trainers to administer shocks to animals when desired. Much of the circuitry in the references cited will be known by those skilled in the art to be applicable to the present invention.
However, what would be truly useful would be a system that comprises a form of “electronic leash” or training device which can be variably preset by an animal owner and operated in automatic mode to help train and control an animal when the owner and animal are moving such as when the owner is walking the animal. Such a system and method would allow the training of an animal to take place regardless of the location of the owner. Such a system would allow an owner to train an animal in the animal's own backyard and, when the owner and the animal are in another location other than the home. Such a system would be portable and operate without the need of a connection to household current at all times. Such a system would allow the owner to spontaneously alter the conditions of training by adjusting the training perimeter on the fly by adjusting the transmitted signal strength.